Jack's Proposal
by Rruhshadow
Summary: Jack encounters a few embarrassing, frustrating, and potentially dangerous problems when he tries to propose to Sam.


**This is the ****sequel** **to "Retirement Party" though you don't need to read it to understand what's going on. It's not as funny as the last story, but I think it has its moments.**

**Please review ! Anything you have to say on improvments, ideas, questions, ect. are appreciated :)**

**Show Spoilers: It takes place in season nine (but is more a departure from the show than "Retirement Party"), but nothing revealing about the show is given away.**

**Language: very minor**

**Disclamer: I own no part of Stagate SG-1 or Atlantis, or The Simpsons.**

Jack's Proposal

"Howdy all!" Jack exclaimed walking into Sam's lab. Sam raised her head and gave him a warm smile. Daniel looked up from his translation notes. He gave him a funny look.

"Hi." he said simply, giving Jack a slight wave. There was confusion evident in his voice. "What're you doing here?"

Jack came in out of the hallway and extended a hand to the room. He smiled. "Oh, I was in the neighborhood and just thought I'd stop in." Sam, who had been leaning over her computer, straightened up and walked into Jack's arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and Jack leaned down and kissed her. After a few moments, Daniel cleared his throat. Sam and Jack broke it off, but still remained entwined in each other's arms.

"I take it you two are officially together then," Daniel said, pushing his elbows off the steel topped table. Sam blushed slightly, smiling, and Jack gave a sideways nod. "Well, congratulations then," he said wholeheartedly. Silence enveloped the room as all three of them stared at each other. "So," Daniel said, looking back down at his papers and scratching the back of his head uncomfortably. An awkward silence ensued until a shout from the hallway broke it.

"Colonel Carter!" Teal'c appeared in the doorway, breathing heavily, and everyone turned to look at him. At the sight of Jack, he straightened up and inclined his head slightly. "O'Neill," he greeted.

"Hey T! What's up?" Jack asked pleasantly. For a moment, Teal'c stood looking between Jack and Sam, an eyebrow raised slightly. When the initial surprise wore off he turned to Sam.

"Colonel Carter, there has been a mishap with the device."

Sam's smile instantly faded to a frown. "What did they do?" She sounded exasperated.

"I believe they have succeeded in removing the object's casing." Sam swore softly under her breath.

"Oh, that's not good," Daniel said to himself. Jack did a very convincing impression of Teal'c when he was confused.

"I told them not to touch it until I got there!" she whispered fiercely. Quickly, she stepped out of Jack's arms and rushed out the door. Jack stood silently, staring out into the empty corridor, and looking slightly surprised.

_What? No goodbye kiss? _he thought dejectedly. A moment passed then he turned to Teal'c and Daniel. Out loud he asked, "So what was that all about?" Daniel's attention had returned to the notes on the table, so it was Teal'c who answered.

"SG-8 recently returned from P4X-343 with an unusual object." There was silence for a moment.

"And?" Jack asked, opening his palms to the ceiling as he waited for an answer.

"Well," Daniel was sifting through a pile of papers, seeming to be looking for something. "The object was found amidst the ruins of a collapsed room of some kind; from what I heard maybe a place of worship… Anyways, the pictures they sent back were really quite intriguing. The site seems to resemble traditional Japanese architecture yet the language that was found on various items--shells, wood, bone--is more reminiscent to a more ancient form of Arabic or--"

"Daniel!" Jack yelled. Daniel glanced up, looking a little surprised. Jack was frowning slightly. "The object?" Jack reminded him, sounding a little frustrated.

"Oh, yes, sorry," Daniel apologized. He plucked a paper off the table and handed it to Jack. "Well, as you can see," He took up stance beside Jack and pointed to the photo of the object in Jack's hand. "The object is enclosed in a clear case of some kind--really strong from the initial analysis--and there's some kind of anti-gravity within the case that's making the object inside float." Jack looked the photo over.

Indeed it depicted a metallic, dark blue, egg-shaped object hovering a few inches above the base of its rectangular case. Daniel slid another picture into Jack's hands. It showed a close up of some flowing script on its side.

"What is it?" Jack asked. Daniel shrugged.

"We don't know yet, but from what I've been able to translate so far, it has something to do with 'brilliant light will awash Ardexia and cleanse it of all aggressors'."

Jack looked up at Daniel quizzically. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Daniel stood with his mouth open for a few seconds then said, smiling, "No idea." Jack pushed the photos back into Daniel's hands.

"Fascinating," Jack responded with false excitement. Suddenly, he whirled around to face Teal'c. "T, how long do you think Sam'll be busy with this thing-a-ma-jig?"

Teal'c, who was still standing in the doorway, looked at Jack. "I am unsure."

"Right." Jack said to himself. "Okay, Teal'c, Daniel, gather 'round." He motioned for them to come closer. They did. "Now," Jack looked past Teal'c and at the doorway. Satisfied that no one was there, he reached into his leather jacket's inside pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet box. He flipped open the lid to reveal a diamond ring.

"Jack. Wow." Daniel said, staring at the engagement ring.

"So, do you think she'll like it?" Jack asked, smiling profusely.

"Wow, yeah, I'm sure she will… Hey, what made you decide so soon?" Daniel looked up at his friend. "I mean, you two have been going out only, what, three months?" Jack shrugged.

"Yeah, well, Sam's being offered a trip to Atlantis, so I thought I'd better ask her now."

"Atlantis?" Daniel asked, jealousy creeping into his voice. "She never mentioned that to me." A small smile crept onto Jack's lips.

"Well, she's not decided yet, but I thought--"

"You'd try to get her to stay." Daniel finished, giving Jack a look. Jack waved a hand and shook his head.

"Well of course I'll support what ever decision she makes."

Daniel crossed his arms. "But you'd prefer it if she stayed."

Jack shrugged again and smiled a little sheepishly. "It couldn't hurt to try."

"Are you intending to ask for her hand in marriage O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, sounding slightly unsure. A wide grin broke out on Jack's face.

"Yes, indeedy do!" he affirmed. He snapped the ring box closed and replaced it in his jacket pocket. "Now, all I have to do is wait for the right moment."

* * *

Jack poked his head into the lab and rapped lightly on the open door. Sam looked up, slightly surprised. 

Jack had strolled down to the lab where the object was being studied soon after he had shown Teal'c and Daniel the ring. When he had gotten there, Sam had already headed back to her own lab. On his way back Jack had spotted her, alone, inside another room.

_Perfect, _he had thought.

"Hiding from me?" he asked playfully, entering and closing the door gently behind him.

"S-Sir…" she stammered. Jack frowned and gave her a funny look.

"Why all of a sudden are you starting that again?" he asked, a little perplexed. It only threw him for a moment, though. Jack strode forward, smiling pleasantly. For some reason she seemed nervous, but he dismissed this. They were alone.

"Sam…" he said gently, reaching out and taking hold of her arms. He looked down into her eyes tenderly. "Sam, I love you so much." He brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes. Sam's face turned red as she blushed deeply. "I can never tell you that enough. For so long I've wanted to be with you, to tell you that, and now that I finally can there isn't a second that I want to be apart from you." She opened her mouth to speak, but Jack laid a finger softly upon her lips. "Sam," he said, letting his hands slide down her arms and he took hold of her hands. Slowly, he knelt down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. He opened it and held it up to her. "Will you do me the honour... of marrying me?" Sam stared at him open mouthed. Jack smiled. Speechless was good.

Slowly at first, her head moved, but not how Jack expected. She shook her head. Jack's smile faded into a stunned frown, his mouth open in shock.

_No? _His thoughts slammed to a stand still. _No?_

"G-General O'Neill, I-I'm not…" Hastily, Sam drew away from the stunned man before her. "T-That's r-really very s-sweet, but I…I…" She trailed off and retreated behind the lab table. Jack stared blankly into space. "S-Sir, I-I'm n-not Colonel C-Carter."

Abruptly, Jack looked up at her. Before he could say anything in response to this, Sam reached down the front of her black, long-sleeved shirt and pulled out a small and flat round object. Jack's eyes widened in disbelief and horror.

"Coombs?" he murmured unbelievingly. He repeated himself, louder this time. "Coombs!" And then his features twisted into fury. "COOMBS!" The scientist jerked in fright.

"S-Sir, I'm s-so sorry!" Jack sprang to his feet and marched towards the cowering man. Coombs hastily scuttled to the other side of the table. "P-Please! I t-tried t-to tell you! Please Sir!" Jack stopped chasing him and settled for staring at him as if doing so would make the scientist burst into flames. Jack could feel his face burning with embarrassment.

"What the _hell _are you doing with a mimic device!" Jack bellowed, digging his fingers into the table's metal top. This had to be the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to him.

"I-I… I was w-working on improvements with… with the other s-scientists, y' know, to make the illusions last longer, and… and I was just playing Sir! I-I'm s-sorry!" A tense silence descended upon the room. A few moments went by, then Coombs spoke quietly. "I-If it's any consolation Sir, i-if I were Samantha Carter, and I'm not, but if I were, I-I would have immediately said yes." Jack continued to stare. "I-it was a very beautiful proposal, Sir." He finished quietly and blushed. Jack could not help but shiver.

Jack turned away from the chubby scientist and massaged his forehead. It had been so perfect, he thought miserably. A silent minute passed, then Jack spun around to confront Coombs.

"Coombs," He began by pointing an angry finger at the scientist.

"Y-yes Sir." he squeaked, preparing for the worst.

"You don't happen to know where Sam is, do you? I mean the real Sam." Hastily, Coombs shook his head. Jack looked down at the mimic device still tightly clutched in the scientist's hand. "There isn't any more fake Sam's running around the base that I should know about are there?"

"N-No, Sir."

Jack turned to go out the door. At the threshold he stopped and turned around. "If you see her, tell her _nothing. _You got that?" Coombs hastily nodded. "Good." Jack took a step out the door. He turned back. "Nothing, I mean it. _Nothing_." Coombs nodded again. "Actually, don't tell _anyone _about this whole..."

"M-Mess? Mix-up? Misunderstanding? Embarassm--"

Jack cut him off quickly. "Yes, misunderstanding." Satisfied, Jack opened the door and stepped outside. "Actually," He stuck his head back in. "Never mention it again. Really, take it to your deathbed. Take-this-to-your _grave_." Jack smiled menacingly. "Okay?" With a forced smile Coombs nodded. "Good." Jack pulled his head out of the room and shut the metal door. He sighed heavily.

"That is going to haunt my dreams for months." he mumbled to himself and set off for Sam's lab.

* * *

"_There _you are!" Jack cried, striding into Sam's lab. She looked up from her computer. 

"Were you looking for me?" she asked as Jack surveyed the room. No one else was there. Quickly, he closed the door.

"_Yes_," he replied empathetically. Swiftly he walked over to her. His stressed expression relaxed and he smiled. "I have something to ask you." Sam swiveled around in her chair and looked up at him obliviously. He took hold of her shoulders, gently, and asked, "How many fish are in my pond?"

"What?" Sam asked, confused. Jack urged her to answer with a look. He had to be sure it was her.

Sam shook her head slightly. "Officially or unofficially?" she asked slowly.

Jack looked at her for a second then said, "Good enough." Sam looked up into his eyes, her eyebrows furrowing. Jack could not help but think how sexy she looked when she was perplexed. At that instant he vowed to get her to watch The Simpsons with him. That would bewilder her sufficiently.

"Jack... What's going on?" she asked. Jack came out of his daydreams. He looked down into her eyes and took a deep breath. His heart fluttered in his chest. This was it. Finally, after so long he would ask her, and they would be together...

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" came the cry of Walter over the intercom accompanied by the flash of the red alert lights from the hall. Jack hung his head in exasperation.

So close... He had been _so _close...

Abruptly, Sam stood up.

"Jack, I..." She trailed off, pointing to the door.

"Yeah," he mumbled dejectedly. Silently he cursed whoever had established the wormhole. "I'll come with you."

* * *

Jack was back in Sam's lab waiting patiently for her to return from having another talk with the scientists studying the object. At the moment, he was rolling a pen across the papers scattered across the lab table. 

Jack sighed. As it had turned out, the "unscheduled off-world activation" had been nothing more than a wrong number. Only audio had come through, though not in any language anyone could understand--well, except Daniel. The most confused expression had crossed the archaeologist's face as he had listened to the message. Landry had asked him what the voice was saying and Daniel had incoherently mumbled something about chickens and cows.

The sound of footsteps made Jack look up. Sam came in, her head bowed as she avidly studied the open blue folder in her hands.

"Finally," Jack said with relief. Sam looked up. Jack dropped the pen and walked over to her. Just as he came within hugging distance, Daniel strolled through the door.

"Sam, if I'm reading this correctly--" He looked up for a second from a blue folder identical to Sam's. "Oh, hi Jack--I think the object is--"

"Daniel, isn't there someplace _else _you have to be?" Jack asked irritably. Daniel looked slightly surprised.

"I don't think so." he mused slowly. He looked up towards the ceiling in thought, completely missing Jack's purposeful gaze. "No. No, I don't have to be anywhere." He looked down and saw Jack's scowl. Immediately, he caught on to his friend's meaning. "Oh wait! Yes. Yes I do. Uh, thanks for reminding me Jack. I'll just... go there now... where I have to go..." Daniel pointed to the open door and sidestepped towards it.

Sam looked from Jack to Daniel quizzically. Jack waved a hasty good-bye to the archaeologist and turned back to Sam. The door clicked quietly closed.

"Now," Jack began, taking the folder from his girlfriend and putting it on the table. He turned back to her. She had her arms crossed and was looking at him earnestly.

"Jack, what's going on?" Jack smiled mischievously.

"All will be answered in a moment, my dear." Jack reached into his jacket and pulled out the ring, only, it wasn't there. Jack swore under his breath. Quickly he checked the other jacket pockets. It wasn't there either. Jack searched his jeans' pockets too, then double-checked his jacket, pulling all his pockets inside-out.

"Jack?" Sam asked worriedly. Jack forced a smile.

"Hold that thought," he told her and raced out the door.

* * *

"Argh!" Jack cried, throwing up his hands in frustration. People stared at him as they passed. 

Jack had retraced the steps he had taken since he had showed Teal'c and Daniel the ring that morning at least three times. He had combed the corridors, searched the Stargate control room, and even snuck into Landry's office, just in case it had gotten kicked in there. It was no use.

Jack stopped at one of the corridor intersections and slumped against the corner wall. Absently, as he sifted through his mind for all the possible locations he could have missed, he gazed over towards the elevator. His eyes widened and he froze.

There it was, lying in the middle of the floor. Jack shook a fist in triumph. Quickly he stepped out into the intersection and was almost knocked down by a speeding gurney. Jack stumbled back just in time as Dr. Lam sped past him, flanked by three nurses. They hastened by and pushed the empty gurney into the open elevator.

"Not even an excuse me," Jack mumbled to himself. He looked down at the spot on the floor where the ring had been. It was gone. "No!" Jack cried. A few people shot him indignant glares. Jack paid no heed. Panicked, he rushed out into the intersection and shot his gaze about the floor. The sound of the elevator doors closing made him look up. Eyes wide with horror, he spotted the little black box resting between the gurney's wheels. He took off for the elevator. "Wait! Wait! Hold the door!" The door slid shut and Jack cannoned into it. "No!" he cried, pounding his fist on the metal. "No! No!" He started cursing and kept hitting the closed elevator.

"I'll assume there's a good reason you're attacking the elevator door." Jack spun around. General Landry stood a few steps away with his arms crossed and was looking at him with confused amusement.

Jack scratched his head and stepped away from the elevator. He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "Missed it," he said lamely. Hank nodded his head slowly, unbelieving Jack's explanation.

"Well," Landry smiled. "I've been wanting to have a word with you." Jack nodded distractedly, glancing back over his shoulder at the elevator.

"I'd really love to Hank, but I really got to be somewhere." Jack stepped back to the elevator and swiped his pass card.

"Well, as luck would have it, I've got to be somewhere too." He walked up and stood next to Jack. A moment later the elevator door opened. Landry extended a hand for Jack to go in first. Jack entered and quickly cast about the floor for the ring box. It was not there. He refrained from swearing out loud.

Landry stepped inside and leaned over and pressed one of the buttons. The door slid shut and gears clicked and whined as the elevator began its descent. Jack slouched against the back wall of the elevator in distress.

How would he ever find it now? Hank was facing the door so did not notice Jack's paling face.

"So Jack, I don't suppose this is just a social call to reminisce about the good old times?" He turned around. Jack straightened up and tried to look cheerful.

"Not entirely." Jack tried to draw his mind away from the ring. He had limited success. "Well, I was going to be in the neighborhood anyway, so I thought I'd come check up on the SGC."

"But Sergeant Oldwin left not even a week ago." Landry replied sounding a little perplexed.

Jack's mood brightened slightly at the mention of the sergeant. "Ah yes... Oldwin." Jack had sent the sergeant out to Colorado two weeks ago to take the monthly survey of the SGC's performance and attain firsthand explanations by Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c about the really boring scientific, ethical, and political stuff regarding the Ori and Jaffa. Jack had thought that Oldwin would pleasantly lighten up the mood.

"Yes, he was rather..." Hank trailed off, thinking of the sergeant's time at the SGC.

Oldwin had broken three coffee machines, temporarily incapacitated the yogurt dispenser in the confectionary, and single-handedly lost their current ZPM. Thankfully, though, it had turned up in the uniform laundry. How it had ended up there when the sergeant had been left alone for not even a minute everyone was still trying to figure out.

"Peppy?" Jack finished. Back at Homeworld Security Headquarters the newly transferred sergeant always made Jack laugh with his chronic clumsiness--when he wasn't being annoying.

"Sure. By the way, you _did _get the memo about the damages he caused, right?"

"Memo?" Jack asked innocently. He was beginning to feel slightly better.

Landry waved his hand in dismissal. "Never mind."

"Well, actually," Jack began seriously. "I've come to personally deliver a real hush-hush message about Ba'al."

Landry frowned slightly. "What's so 'hush-hush' about it?"

"Well, one of Ba'al's armories has been discovered out in Minnesota."

Landry's frown deepened. "I'll ask the same question."

"Through some of my contacts, word has reached my ears that it seems that the rogue faction of the NID we all love _so _much has reared its ugly head once again."

"And I take it they're working with Ba'al."

"Bingo," Jack replied, annoyance present in his voice. "We have to be careful who we tell about this. The NID have people everywhere, and who knows what Ba'al's doing, or rather Ba'als..."

The elevator stopped and the door rolled open. Jack glanced out into the corridor beyond and lost his train of thought. The ring box was resting out in the middle of another intersection.

"'Scuse me," Jack said coolly. He leapt out of the elevator and sprinted for the box. He dove for it and snatched it up. "Yes!" he whooped, holding his prize aloft.

"Jack! Watch out!" General Landry screamed at him. Jack looked at him for a second then heard a deep rumble. Quickly, he turned to the right. A small, but still menacing enough, bobcat was speeding merrily upon its way down the corridor right towards him, a large crate blocking the driver's view. Jack yelped and threw himself aside. The cat trundled past as Jack squished himself against the cement wall.

"What the hell were you doing!" Hank cried, hauling Jack to his feet when the danger had passed.

Jack stumbled to his feet, his heart hammering, and leaned over his knees. "Got it." He held up the box. Landry stared at it blankly for a few seconds then understanding dawned upon his face.

"Oh." Hank smiled knowingly.

Jack said quickly, "Yes, but don't tell anyone."

Landry nodded, his smile widening. "My lips are sealed."

* * *

"Alright!" Jack cried, bursting into the laboratory. Startled, Daniel and Sam looked up from their work on the object. "No more interruptions! Daniel! Get out!" 

"Uh, Jack. This really isn't a good time." Daniel said carefully, his eyes widening with alarm.

"Why not!" Jack snapped. He glared at Daniel. Almost becoming a smear upon the floor was the final straw. _Nothing _was going to stand in his way from asking Sam to marry him; not if Daniel knew what was good for him. "If I have to throw this stupid egg at you," Jack grabbed the blue object, which was hovering a few inches from the top of the table, with both hands. It was surprisingly light. "Then I will!"

"NO!" Daniel and Sam screamed in unison. Jack was taken aback.

"What?" Jack asked, getting the sinking feeling that he had donesomething stupid.

"Oh, Jack." Sam moaned, looking slightly pale.

"What?" Jack repeated a little louder. "Okay, fine. I get it. It's fragile. I'll just put it down--"

"NO!" Sam and Daniel yelled again.

Jack was getting annoyed. "Okay, _someone _tell me what's going on!"

"Don't move your fingers!" Daniel cried, racing over to a pile of papers at the end of the table the object had been floating above.

"Daniel!" Jack hollered, wanting more of an answer. Jack looked over at Sam, but she too was fumbling through a pile of notes. "What is going--!"

"It's a bomb." Daniel said simply.

"What?" Jack asked unbelievingly.

"A bomb." Daniel repeated.

"I heard you the first time!" He had _definitely _done something stupid.

"Jack," Sam said, walking up to him, her face contorted with a mixture of fear and panic. "The object's a naquadah bomb." Oh yeah, stupid.

"Well then get rid of it." He tried to pass it to Sam but she hastily stepped back.

"Jack, you can't take your fingers off of it."

"Or what? It'll blow up?" Both Daniel and Sam's looks of terror confirmed this. Jack swore softly. "Then, I'm stuck with it until I can't hold it anymore?"

"No. No." Daniel said swiftly. He walked over to Jack and spread out a bunch of photos with scrawls underneath them upon the table. "From what I've been able to decipher, there's a certain order you have to depress the writing to activate it and defuse it. We're just lucky you didn't set it off as soon as you touched it."

"Great," Jack said unenthusiastically. "Do you know the order?"

"Not exactly," Daniel replied slowly. Jack scowled at him. "But I've translated all the text, so all I have to figure out is the order of the story."

Jack felt exasperated. "The what?"

"Story. You see, I'm pretty sure the writing tells a story of the protector god of the people who made this thing. From what I've pieced together it's very similar to--"

"Daniel," Sam interrupted, giving him an imploring look.

"Right. I'll get working."

* * *

"Okay, Jack, now lift off that finger right there..." Daniel was pointing to Jack's left index finger. Tiredly, Jack did as he was told. 

He, Sam, and Daniel had been at it for five hours already. Jack glanced up at the wall clock and sighed. Make that six hours. All but five of Jack's fingers had been successfully removed from the object's surface.

"Next, remove your left middle finger."

Angrily, Jack thought, _Oh yes, I'll do that._

"No, wait!" Jack pushed his finger hastily back into the metal surface. "I-I think I translated that wrong."

"Daniel!" Jack barked. Sam put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed gently. Jack exhaled in frustration.

"How are you doing?" she asked him softly.

"_Why _does this have to be so hard?" Jack complained loudly.

"Well, Daniel's doing the best he can," she reassured him.

"Not that," Jack said despondently. He sighed heavily. "Sam," He got off the tall stool he had been sitting on and turned around to face the woman he loved. "Today it's been one thing after another. Always interruptions. Well, this," He lifted the object up in emphases. "Isn't going to delay it any longer."

"Jack, what are you--?"

"I have something for you in my jacket pocket." he told her quietly. Jack lifted his arms slightly. Hesitantly, Sam reached into his leather jacket. After a moment she withdrew her hand and held out what she had pulled out.

"Oh... thank you," she said politely. Jack looked down into her hand. A coupon for a free movie--no, an _expired _free movie rental coupon lay in her open hand.

"That's where that went," Jack mused to himself. He shook his head. "Wrong pocket." Sam set the piece of paper on the table and reached into his other pocket.Barely a second passed before she withdrew her hand. When she saw what it held, her eyes widened. "Open it," Jack urged. Her hands shaking slightly, she did. A gasp escaped her lips when her eyes fell upon what lay inside.

"J-Jack," she stammered breathlessly. She looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, Jack."

"Sam," he asked lovingly. "Will you marry me?"

A sob of happiness broke from her lips. "Y-yes. Yes." She opened her arms to hug him, but stopped. Jack looked down at the bomb still in his hands. He struggled with what to do for a moment then lifted the bomb above Sam's head and pulled her to him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

"Okay. I got it figured out now..." Daniel's voice faded as he turned around. A little embarrassed, he looked away. "Go ahead. Take your time." he muttered quietly to himself. "It's only a naquadah bomb." Having heard this, Jack and Sam broke out of their kiss.

"Daniel," Sam said, stepping out of Jack's embrace. Daniel nodded.

"Okay, Jack, put the bomb back over the table and remove both your middle fingers." Jack did so. Daniel pointed out the next step. "Now, put your right thumb over those letters right there and let go with the rest of your fingers _except _your thumb." Jack looked over at him dubiously. Daniel urged him on with a nod. Taking a deep breath, Jack let go. The object dropped an inch then hovered above the table. "_Now _you can remove your thumb." Jack yanked his hand away and felt relief wash over him. Hastily, he stepped away from the table. Everyone exhaled.

"Jack," Sam said softly. He turned to her and she wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you," Jack told her and leaned down and kissed her.


End file.
